Grace and Glory Publishing   The Normal Church Life  An Exposition of the First Epistle of John by P.G. Mathew	Foreword Preface What Others Say Press Release Grace & Glory Publishing Ordering

Press Release:  Have you ever wondered whether you are going to heaven? Helping people answer this question has been the lifelong work of the Reverend P. G. Mathew, founder and senior pastor of Grace Valley Christian Center, a Bible-centered church serving the Davis area for over thirty years.

Pastor Mathew has recently completed his first book, The Normal Church Life: An Exposition of the First Epistle of John, published by Operation Mobilization (OM) Books.  The Normal Church Life challenges readers to examine their lives and gives them biblical tools to determine whether or not they are on their way to heaven.

Nearly two thousand years ago, the apostle John wrote, “I write these things to you . . . so that you may know that you have eternal life.”  In his examination of John’s first epistle, Mathew sets forth the three criteria that verify authentic Christian faith: orthodox doctrine, personal holiness, and maintenance of right relationships with God and man.

“The evangelical church needs a wake-up call!” says Mathew in the introduction of his book.  “Today she sleepwalks, unaware that heresy and immorality threaten her very life . . . .Few churches preach orthodox doctrine; even fewer require practical holiness.” And yet, contends Mathew, quoting the apostle John, “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.  If we claim to have fellowship with [God] yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.”  The church or Christian who does not adhere to biblical doctrine and practice “walks in darkness.”  

Mathew’s concern for the modern evangelical church is a central theme in his book.  “We hear very little today,” says Mathew, “of sin, repentance, holiness, judgment or hell . . . Any call for obedience [to Christ] is labeled as legalism.  ‘Carnal Christianity’ has become the norm.”

Against this backdrop, Mathew offers the biblical view of authentic Christianity: doctrinal purity, a life of obedience to Biblical teaching, and a Christian community life of love.  Mere mental assent to the facts of the gospel, says Mathew, does not set a person’s feet on the path to heaven.  True faith, the kind that leads a person to heaven, is always accompanied by a life of obedience and love. 

Originally from Kerala, India, Pastor Mathew holds three graduate degrees from Central and Westminster theological seminaries.  He came to Davis in 1973 with his wife, Gladys, and their young son, Evan, to teach Greek and systematic theology at a small seminary in the area.

Within a year, Mathew founded Davis Evangelical Church with a handful of people, mostly university students.  As time went by, the church was able to purchase property on Road 98, just south of Russell Blvd., and began building the present sanctuary and Sunday School buildings in 1986. In 1987 Davis Evangelical changed its name to Grace Valley Christian Center to reflect its growing ministry to surrounding communities as well as Davis.  In recent years, GVCC has grown to include Grace Valley Christian Academy, a high-achieving school of about 200 students in kindergarten through ninth grade. 

Pastor Mathew’s ministry has had worldwide impact, especially through GVCC’s ministry to university students. From every part of the world—including the countries of Bolivia, China, England, Italy, India, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Norway, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe, to name a few—the clear expository preaching of Pastor Mathew has been appreciated by highly educated scholars who first heard Pastor Mathew in Davis and then have maintained relationship with GVCC long after returning home to their positions in universities, industry, and government. Additionally, an extensive written and audio library of Pastor Mathew’s sermons, posted on the Internet, has proven to be a valuable resource for an international audience of Bible students, with a steady stream of visitors from nearly 100 countries, many of whom write to express their appreciation.  Pastor Mathew has also hosted “Grace and Glory,” a radio program devoted to expository preaching, files of which are also available on the webpage.

In addition to providing pastoral care at GVCC, Pastor Mathew also travels extensively to minister throughout the world. As a result of his travels, he has become particularly concerned to share the gospel in printed form with those in other countries who do not have ready access to the Internet. OM Books shares this vision and publishes and distributes Christian materials throughout Southeast Asia, the Persian Gulf region, parts of Africa, and other regions of the world.

An excerpt from The Normal Church Life can be viewed at http://www.gracevalley.org/, where there is also information about ordering the book.  Other works soon to appear in print include O How I Love Thy Law!  Meditations on Psalm 119 and The Pursuit of Happiness: An Exposition of the Beatitudes, as well as commentaries on Joshua, Isaiah, Matthew, Acts, and others. 

Click Picture to Enlarge At a recent book signing at Grace Valley Christian Center, Pastor P. G. Mathew, senior minister, inscribes a copy of his new book, The Normal Church Life, as Michael Moroski, Sarah Roby, and Mark Thompson look on	Books available to order